The plant based afternoon tea with a difference at Farmacy

What difference you ask? This being that Farmacy is reportedly the first London restaurant to serve CBD; the non psychoactive constituent of the cannabis plant, famed for its feel good and health benefits (reportedly good for inflammation, pain relief, and even helping enhance memory and cognitive function). CBD - otherwise known as Cannabidiol - is one of approximately 104 chemical compounds (cannabinoids) found in the cannabis plant. Some of these cannabinoids are intoxicating and reflect the aspect of the cannabis plant that you may be more familiar with(!), but CBD is completely non psychoactive, meaning it doesn't produce the same sort of effects.

So no, I wasn't going to get stoned. But I liked the idea of going for a feel good, healthier take on an afternoon tea. Farmacy's plant-based High Tea is free from dairy, refined sugars, additives and chemicals and I was intrigued how it would shape out as for me personally, sugary cakes and biscuits are my vice

THE FOOD

The food was beautifully presented on a very Instagrammable three tier stand with a log slice base, copper framework and crown of foliage. LOOK HOW PRETTY

The middle plate contained all the savory offerings and at the time of my visit, these included smoked carrot and chickpea blinis, mushroom and spinach quiches (almond milk used as the dairy substitute here) x2 open sandwiches on charcoal bread (one cucumber and dill with a cream cheese substitute, the other roasted peppers with chilli). The open sandwiches were a clever twist on an afternoon tea classic and the smoked carrot ribbons on the blinis were much like smoked salmon, both in appearance and texture.

I will say however, to not pin too many hopes on the menu that you see on the Farmacy website because this is subject to availability and or / seasonality. For example, I was really excited by the prospect of pulled jackfruit tacos but we didn't have these on the day. As it turns out, the roasted peppers with chilli on charcoal bread was an excellent substitution and was in fact one of my favourite things from the day. So no harm done.

The top layer contained all manner of sweet treats. These being strawberry and rose jelly, apple pie, CBD truffles (supposedly tahini and dark chocolate) and raspberry pavlova. A lot of these constructions were especially impressive given that these were free from dairy and refined sugars.

I'm not usually a fan of pavlova (or meringue in general), but as the meringues were crafted differently (using aquafaba, or chickpea water), this was a pavlova I could get behind. I was dubious about how good the truffles would be given that these were dairy and sugar free, but they were good and chocolately and melted in the mouth. Again, the online menu is subject to variations and two of the things I was most looking forward to (the chocolate & praline ganache and the strawberry & cashew mousse) weren't available on the day. The apple pie was a worthy adversary though and it takes a lot for me to say my favourite dessert was the non chocolate one!

Finally the last layer housed an afternoon tea classic - scones. These were pretty sizable poppy seed scones served with dairy free coconut clotted cream and homemade jam. The jam was less jam more couli due to its runny nature, but we didn't mind this as it tasted every bit as good.

People often question how much flavour vegetarian and sugar free / dairy free / plant based foods can have, but I have to say, everything we had was flavoured really well and far from bland and boring. Also it was really refreshing to go to an afternoon tea and NOT feel like I was going to burst afterwards.

THE DRINKS

Upon arrival we were reportedly going to receive a CBD infused cocktail (this being Heart Chakra Rose Infusion & fresh raspberries shaken with vodka & lemon), but we never received this. However we were given free rein of the cocktail menu which I actually preferred as I'm not really a vodka drinker. Instead my sister and I opted for the "RUM ME UP THE RIGHT WAY" (rum, mango and lime) which contained a good and generous measure of rum.

Farmacy's High Tea differed from that of a standard afternoon tea in that you didn't receive tea until the END of the meal. I'm still not sure how I feel about this as one of the things I love most about afternoon teas is having the tea WITH the food and having your teapot refilled with hot water every so often. On the day we visted we did wonder if they had forgotten the tea as our table was cleared and we actively had to ask for the tea menu. My sister opted for the ginger and lemon tea whereas I had the hemp tea (not too dissimilar to a chamomile tea or green tea, it turns out).

THE VENUE

I feared it could be uncomfortably upmarket or hipster, however it was very relaxed and we couldn't fault the staff who were all incredibly friendly (and like genuinely friendly, not forced). My sister and I decided it felt like "sitting in a garden centre café" due to plants and ivy trailing the ceilings, window ledges and shelving at the bar. It all felt very natural (to match the food no doubt) with chipboard walls and jute rugs presented on the walls as art.

The toilets were another highlight with this dreamy animal print wallpaper

Obligatory toilet selfies to test the lighting

Shirt - Anthropologie (sold out) - similar here which I have also purchased!

Military button shorts - Morgan de Toi

The building's exterior did make me think of a re-purposed former pharmacy. Which got me thinking if the name "Farmacy" is inspired by the plant based menu (i.e farmed from the land) and if its a play on words for "pharmacy" whereby the food is good for the soul and remedies all life's ills... although admittedly, maybe I'm reading a little TOO much into it ;)

High Tea is priced at £42 per person

To view the menu and / or book a table click here

FARMACY

74 WESTBOURNE GROVE,

NOTTING HILL 

LONDON

W2 5SH

Disclaimer: this afternoon tea was entirely paid for ourselves. I'm sharing because both food and atmosphere were fab and thought they deserved a mention!

The afternoon tea that lacked in tea...

Afternoon teas are one of my favourite things to do in London. Being based in the city, everyone is always so busy and sometimes it's nice to sit, drink tea, and watch the world go by.

Rewind a month or two back where I was delighted to be hosting one of my American friends, Lynne, who I hadn't seen since 2009(!). On Monday we had a day in London, starting off with a tour of Buckingham Palace, and then refuelled with an afternoon tea. Because what could possibly be more British than an afternoon tea?! And I was more than happy because cake. I booked us onto the champagne afternoon tea at the London Green Park Hilton as it was so conveniently located (just minutes away from Buckingham Palace!)

Upon arrival we were presented with a chest of twelve loose teas, all contained in little screw top jars. The lady told us we could have as much tea as we liked - we could even try all twelve teas if we really wanted! To start we all ordered the same tea (apple and elderflower). A mistake. Don't get me wrong, it was a delicious tea. But it would have been a far smarter choice to order a few different ones and share them amongst us. Because after that point, no one at the London Green Park Hilton offered us any more tea. At an afternoon tea. I am still reeling from this.

It was a Monday and it was dead -  so it wasn't like the staff were rushed off their feet and too busy to attend to us. As the tables around us emptied and we became the only table of people there, the staff just disappeared. We were sitting without tea for a good long while and when I finally spotted someone and beckoned them over, she seemed confused by our request for more tea. It was like we were at a pet shop and had asked for a bowl of cereal. Except that clearly wasn't the case. Before I beckoned this lady over, she had been setting up tables for breakfast the next day. Bearing in mind this was early afternoon still, and not close of play, it really frustrated me that a) no staff were around and b) when they were, they weren't paying the slightest bit of attention to paying customers.

Other than that it was a lovely afternoon tea. The sandwiches were some of the best I have ever had at an afternoon tea (and that is quite some feat!). The scones were MASSIVE and quite dense, so unfortunately I got a little too full to enjoy the full extent of the cakes. But there was a good sweet selection there which included macarons, fruit cake, lemon & coconut tart, walnut brownies and a raspberry posset.

To be honest, I wouldn't go back on account of what we experienced with the tea. Because the clue is in the name - afternoon tea. But still, you live and you learn.

Presenting #terracechapters at the Royal Horseguards Hotel

Introducing their new Wimbledon hamper, the Royal Horseguards Hotel in London invited me down for a sneaky preview to experience Terrace Chapters. I've never been to the Royal Horseguards Hotel before but what first struck me was how friendly and accommodating the staff were. It's not the usual sort of hotel I could afford to stay in, but I was instantly made to feel welcome and never at any occasion did I feel uncomfortable or like I didn't belong there. Throughout the evening, the staff were very attentive and made sure my glass was always full and that I'd had enough to eat. I really can't fault the service I received.

What first stood out were the Wimbledon hampers. These were presented in the dreamiest of wicker baskets and contained a wide variety of ingredients for the perfect afternoon tea / picnic which can enjoyed on their outdoor terrace, or even outside by the river (granted you ask the hotel permission first). In collaboration with Taittinger Champagne and Hotel Chocolat, the Royal Horseguards Hotel offers half a bottle of champagne with your hamper as well as some seriously delicious looking chocolate treats. The Wimbledon hampers are priced at £59 for two people sharing.

Alternatively their Summer Picnic Hampers are perfect for those with any special dietary requirements as you can mix and match your ingredients, choosing nine items from a predetermined list. You can find this list here. I know someone who can't have cheese or chocolate and it's so difficult finding an afternoon tea experience without either of these things - so I will definitely be back at the Royal Horseguards in the near future! Again like the Wimbledon hamper, this is priced at £59 for two people sharing and this includes half a bottle of Taittinger champagne.

The hotel also offers a champagne pairing service where one of three champagnes is paired with a miniature picnic basket. Taittinger Brut Reserve is the suggested champagne for savoury nibbles, the Taittinger Nocturne Sec a slightly sweeter variety for desserts and sweet treats, and their Taittinger Brut Prestige Rose for fruits. I tried these for myself in this very order, and these were paired with a smoked salmon bilini, macaron (we think it was rhubarb flavoured?) and some mixed berries. I was presentably surprised by the sweeter champagne as I'm not a fan of overly sweet things and thought this would be too sweet - but it wasn't.

Throughout the evening we were enjoying their outdoor terrace which is very summery with plenty of comfortable sofas and chairs to sink into, and decorative touches in the way of flowers, candles and bunting.

It was a pretty hot day so they kept us in check with plenty of Pimms and champagne cocktails. Their fruit sorbets topped with champagne were cold and refreshing - perfect for the humidity we were experiencing that evening. Both varieties - strawberry sorbet and peach sorbet with orange zest - were equally pleasing on the palette and it would be difficult to claim one winner over the other!

They also featured three cocktails - one containing rum, one with vodka and the other with gin. I'm not much of a vodka or gin drinker, but I am partial to a bit of rum ;) Their mojitos were amazing.

We were introduced to the chef who had gone above and beyond with the catering. There were plenty of picnic style treats like meats, cheeses, olives and so on, to give us a taste of the hampers.

One of the tastiest sweet treats of the evening had to be these mojito chocolates. These were really light and fresh in your mouth... and then suddenly the alcohol hits you! Absolutely beautiful and great with an accompanying mojito cocktail!

We were sent home with the loveliest of gift bags containing a bottle of champagne, chocolate from Hotel Chocolat, a tennis ball to keep us all in the Wimbledon mood and vouchers for Hotel Chocolat and a future visit to the Royal Horseguards.

A massive thanks to all the staff at the Royal Horseguards Hotel for such a lovely evening and making me feel so welcome. You can read more about Terrace Chapters and their afternoon tea / picnic options here.

#terracechapters 

* Although food and drink was complimentary, as ever, all opinions and words are my own!

Birthday summary

In the days leading up to my birthday I went for a lovely meal with Ali and Sof - two of my best friends who I've known since I was three(!) - and the day before that, an afternoon tea with Nicole:

On the Friday I booked out part of a pub and went for birthday drinks with work. Later in the evening we moved across to a cocktail bar for shots and my favourite cocktail which is essentially a milkshake with alcohol! Feeling quite hungover the day after, I remained sober when friends came round to mine. We had a right laugh and just played cards all night long. They brought out the birthday cake I'd made myself and used a make-shift candle one of my friends happened to find:

Yes, a chunk of the cake was already missing.... *my bad!* I sense people are becoming fully aware of my love of cake. Naf brought over the biggest red velvet cupcakes I've seen in my entire life:

And Sara gifted me this amazing boxful of Hummingbird Bakery goodies:

The morning after was TROPICAL so breakfast was a picnic outside:

I'd hoped to arrange a brunch the next morning but instead opted for a really late lunch. A few of us went for hilariously named cocktails...

... burgers, fries and HUGE onion rings:

Afterwards we enjoyed the balmy weather and went in search of milkshakes:

The week after, the weather continued to impress. I was kindly loaned a DSLR to play around with so decided to have a bit of an experiment in the woods on Bank Holiday Monday. I was really impressed with the capabilities of the Nikon I tried and how easy it was to use:

Val's birthday is mere days after mine so a group of us went for a meal at a restaurant I'd been dying to try for ages. We were sat at the head chef's table and it was all so tasty, I'm already planning my next visit!

My terriyaki salmon burger was amazing! Cocktails were served in tea cups:

I've pretty much had the rest of this week off from work so spent some time in Brighton with the Nikon. We ate Harry Ramsdens on the beach with the sun blaring down on us and the salty taste of beach in the air.

Having fun with the camera... can you see me?

 And because it was my birthday, I treated myself...